


Feathers of Maroon

by bluetoast



Series: Birds of a Feather [30]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Deaf Dean Winchester, Gen, Gymnastics, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 09:06:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8050387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: Sam sometimes thinks about his lost big brother. The details of his disappearance from his life were vague and John Winchester never gave him a straight answer about it.  He often felt that he would never see Dean again. But of all the places he thought he might run into his brother, it certainly wasn't at Stanford.
Written for HC Bingo - Therapy.





	Feathers of Maroon

Sam Winchester had felt an amazing sense of freedom the day he moved into his dorm room in Stanford and hugged his brother and dad good-bye before they headed home. On his own for the first time in his life, not counting those two week stints at Boy Scout camp in his early teens, it was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. He was halfway across the country and even though he knew dad and Kate were just a phone call away, he'd done his best to rid himself of his homesickness quickly.

Really, the person who had been the most upset at him going so far away was Adam. 

He really hoped Adam didn't blab to their father about learning about Dean. The eldest child of John Winchester was almost mythological in Sam's mind, memories that faded more and more as the years went by and the only thing he could do to cling to his brother was learn sign language. Dad hadn't approved, but when he stated that learning to sign would help him in his career as a lawyer – he'd let it go. 

Freshmen Orientation required attending a sporting event – and while attending a gymnastics meet wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but when he and his friend Brady learned that six of the girls from their class were attending, they couldn't pass that opportunity up. The fact that they learned it was men's gymnastics was a deterrent, until Sam learned that one of the four teams competing was Gallaudette University in Washington D.C. As they settled into their seats in the arena, in front of a couple who were discussing something in rapid sign language, the only part of which Sam picked up was _'I think I know why he likes this school'_ he had to remind himself it was rude to stare. 

“You know, I think the deaf kids might have a significant advantage over everyone.” Brady leaned back in his seat, his focus was on the rings, where the current participant was doing a series of rotations, which most likely had proper names, but neither of them could identify.

“What makes you say that?” Sam replied, watching as the gymnast flew through the air in some form of tucked somersault and slammed into the mats, sticking the landing without a hint of tremble.

“They cant' hear all this noise... that has to be distracting.” He shook his head as the gymnast saluted the judges, and then jogged to rejoin his team. “And that was insane.” 

“I think all gymnasts learn to tune that out.” Sam shrugged, applauding politely as a score of nine point eight five was posted for the rings. “And why isn't that guy down in Sydney on Team USA?”

Brady frowned. “Wait, I think I know who that guy is. My sister's a total gymnastic nut. She was screaming about how some gymnast named Coulter got cheated out a berth to Sydney on her blog. I bet that's him.”

“You read your sister's blog?” He snickered. “Isn't that like reading her diary?”

“Please.” His friend snorted. “I follow her blog and troll the comments so I can make sure some asshole isn't harassing her.”

“Protective big brother stuff?” Sam could understand that to a degree, but he also knew that having a little brother was worlds away from having a little sister.

If Adam had been an Amy, he wouldn't have gone any further from home than Northwestern University in Chicago.

*

Sam hadn't expected to be called in for student ambassador duties as a first semester freshman. When he got to the Administration Building, however, it was explained to him that the usual person used as a translator for the hearing impaired was buried in sorority rush duties and every other back-up person had tickets to the football game they didn't want to relinquish. So that's how he found himself face to face with the couple he'd sat behind last night at the gymnastics competition and their son, who was interested in attending Stanford Medical School. He didn't recognize the guy, other than the fact he'd totally kicked everyone's ass on both the floor and rings last night, but apparently, this guy knew exactly who he was.

_“Sammy?”_ The guy's face lit up as if Christmas had come early. _“Sammy is that you?”_

The two parents exchanged glances and made a few motions he didn't quite catch.

“I'm sorry, I don't think I know you...” Sam was reeling in confusion and forgot to sign as he spoke. 

_“You don't remember me?”_ The guy's look of shock was giving way to one of sorrow. _“Or did John do something really awful and tell you I was dead?”_

Something in Sam's mind clicked. He knew the guy's first name was Dean. He tried to think back, back to being five and of that motel room. Then he saw it; those green eyes and that spatter of freckles that he had once been insanely jealous of. No way... no fucking way... _“Dean?”_ He signed to the man, in the motion he'd always used for his brother, the letter D, paired with 'brother.' 

The man nodded and suddenly grabbed him in a tight hug. Time stood still for a few seconds; he was embracing his brother whom he hadn't seen since he was five years old. His big brother was now a head shorter, a great deal sturdier and it was nothing if not strange. This morning, he thought Dean was lost in the shuffle of foster homes and was gone forever. But he was here, they were both here – together.

When the hug ended, he could see the slight wet look to Dean's eyes, and his brother smiled, pulling away and signed something to his mom.

Mrs. Coulter smiled in response, and Sam couldn't quite make out her gestures; then she turned her eyes on him. Her nose wrinkled ever so slightly before humor lit up her face. _“You need a haircut, young man.”_


End file.
